Dr. Mark Espinoza Speaks on the Concerns of Mercury Tooth Fillings

PHOENIX - March 27, 2015 - PRLog -- Phoenix Dentist, Dr. Mark Espinoza, Clinical Director of Central Dental Care, says that he would like people to be more informed about the silver-amalgam, mercury-based, "silver" fillings in their teeth. About 75% of American adults have these "silver" fillings.

Dr. Mark Espinoza says, "First off, I would like to state that the Federal Food and Drug Administration considers dental silver-amalgam fillings to be safe for adults and children ages six and above." The Dr. continues, "It's all about how the patient feels about having mercury vapor released into their mouth, even at low levels, on a daily basis. Additionally, the emerging holistic and "green" view on this is that there is no safe level of mercury exposure."

Dental silver-amalgam is a common cavity filling material that has been used for more than one hundred fifty years on hundreds of millions of patients around the globe. It is a powdered alloy composed of 50% elemental mercury and a mixture of silver, nickel, tin, and copper. The chemical properties of elemental mercury allow it to react with and bind together the silver/copper/tin alloy particles. Dental silver-amalgam fillings are also known as “silver fillings” because of their silver-like appearance.

The potential for health problems can arise because, even though "bound", mercury vapor is released into the mouth from the action of chewing and grinding teeth. There is approximately one thousand milligrams of mercury in the typical "silver" filling. This is nearly one million times more mercury than is present in contaminated sea food.

Studies have found that the amount of mercury vapor emitted from silver-amalgam fillings varies from 1- 3 ug/day (micrograms/day), at the low end to up to 27 ug/day. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that the personal habits of an individual, such as grinding of the teeth, chewing gum, and drinking carbonated drinks, can greatly increase the amount of mercury vapor released into the mouth.

Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin and, at certain levels, can cause neurological issues, autoimmune disease, chronic illnesses and mental disorders. Mercury vapor from the amalgams readily passes through cell membranes, across the blood-brain barrier, and into the central nervous system. Experts say the mercury from amalgam is highly absorbent and gets into all parts of the body.

Dr. Mark Espinoza says, "Additionally, dental silver-amalgam is an inferior material. It is not bio-compatible, suffers the effects of age and, ultimately, fails. Failure can take the form of cracking or even the filling pulling away from the tooth and causing leakage."

Different countries sometimes have a different view on silver-amalgam tooth fillings:

The forty-seven Member Nations of the Council of Europe passed a resolution calling on the Member Nations to begin “restricting or prohibiting the use of silver-amalgams as dental fillings.”

Health Canada directed its Dentists to cease using silver-amalgam in children, pregnant women, and individuals with impaired kidney function back in 1996.

Australia’s National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) says mercury fillings should be avoided in pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and people with kidney disease.

The Swedish Association of Dental Mercury Patients started a systematic system of investigating the health benefits of removing silver-amalgam fillings citing 25 studies comprising 5,821 patients. They concluded that there is hardly any medical treatment which gives so positive results, on so many health problems, as silver-amalgam removal.

One year ago, in the United States, a Federal Lawsuit was filed against the FDA for failing to address the risks of mercury in dental fillings. The case cites that the FDA has failed to respond, within a reasonable time, to petitions calling for either a formal ban of silver-amalgam use or placement in FDA’s Class III List; which requires much more stringent controls as well as an Environmental Impact Statement.

Dr. Mark Espinoza says, "It all comes down to how each individual feels about their mercury fillings. If they worry you, we recommend getting them out of your mouth. Central Dental Care has been helping our patients do this for years with a painless treatment utilizing a bio-compatible resin composite, that is white and can be toned to match the receiving tooth, while containing no mercury."

To see a video about amalgam filling dangers, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBE4w6DU10o



About Central Dental Care:
Central Dental Care, located at: 9315 N Central Ave, Phoenix AZ 85020, has been serving Arizona for 20 years. Their mission is to enable people to have healthy teeth and gums for life. They practice pain free dentistry while giving their patients a beautiful smile to match their personality. Get your FREE ORAL WELLNESS EXAM ($120.00 value)! Call: 602-635-6872 or visit their website to schedule an appointment: http://centraldentalcare.com.